Message-Id: <20020725174648.ZZKV1211.imf08bis.bellsouth.net@[209.214.148.38]>
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 13:46:54 -0400

Buddy wrote:
   >On Thu, Jul 25, 2002 at 08:55:06AM -0400, Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio
   >Sales wrote:
   >[snip]
   >> There are not alot of menus but there are some.  We try to make
   >>it as easy  and understandable
   >> as we can.  There are no audible cues to the functions at least
   >>in the  software coming out
   >> with the first Argonauts.
   >Then I submit that you haven't made the menus as easy to use as you
   >can. Making the radio beep when rotoring through the first or last
   >menu option would be an extremely small change but would make the
   >menus easier for *everyone* to use. Say you're dialing through a
   >menu off in la-la-land and not paying attention as you ought while
   >menu text scrolls across the display. If the radio beeped at some
   >known point in the menu, you'd know (without looking) where you
   >were and could easily get to where you want to be from that point.
   >This isn't just something useful to blind ops like myself.

Must agree with BUddy here.  I"m considering a second hf radio now to
serve a couple purposes:  FIrst and foremost, backup for the rig here
at the shack.  SEcondly, mobile and portable operation with this
radio.

My xyl is sighted, and speech or cw output of display text would be a
boon to her as well.  WE both are licensed amateurs.


   >> No, there is no keypad available for the Argonaut.
   >I would suggest that one be made available as an option. Could not
   >the one built for the Pegasus be drafted into service somehow?

A keypad is another handy item.  For mobile ops one can program
frequencies directly into the radio, keeping one's eyes on the road
where they belong.

I've always thought highly of Ten-tec products and heard good things
about the customer service.  Also I'd rather buy a transceiver built
in the good ol' U.S.A.  HOwever, it looks as if I'm going to be
looking Kenwood, and possibly Icom depending on the radio for my next
new transceiver buy.

The blind are a sizable population in the amateur radio community in
this country.  Also there are many mobile ops whose primary use of
radio is while mobile.  the added safety these users would derive from
many accessibility features is priceless.  ten-tec is known for
building high quality equipment, and with some small feature changes
many more amateurs would be singing your praises.  Please consider
implementing them in your next product revision.

Again, as the rig stands right now it would not be among my
considerations for a purchase, and sometime this fall a new radio is
coming to this shack.  I'm also a real America booster and would much
rather be serving the public and communicating on a radio made in the
U.S.  I have many friends who have earlier products and they all have
good things to say about your service after the sale.  IN one cased
you swapped circuit boards with a man two or three times until you
found one that was good for him.  You even shipped the replacement
before he'd shipped the defective circuit board back to you.  That's
service worth paying for, especially when you can support American
industry and American workers at the same time.

Thanks for responding to my friend in a timely manner, and please pass
our communications on to the folks in the engineering department.

THanks again and 73 de kb0ruu/5

P.O. box 13162

New Orleans La.  70185-3162
Phone:  (504) 895-6711



Richard Webb

Electric Spider Productions

"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

--- Benjamin Franklin November 1755


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